


Relax

by TWDObsessive



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, Massage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 10:41:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20190952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TWDObsessive/pseuds/TWDObsessive
Summary: Daryl never seems relaxed even though all the current threats are gone.  Rick suggests a massage.





	Relax

**Author's Note:**

> Just stretching my legs from the 20k HSAU I'm currently working on. Now back to tackle that one! Hope you'll enjoy this for now....

Ain’t much to do when things is settled. Negan’s in jail, not that we all agree on that. We’s building a bridge to make it easier for the communities to connect. I hunt like I always done. The rest of life is what Rick calls “like normal”. My life ain’t never been normal so I don’t know nothing ‘bout no picnics or board games or playing hide and seek with the kids.

Michonne and Rick ain’t all over each other any more. Rick says they had too many disagreements and that they loved each other but wanted space. I still been sleeping in Rick’s house in the den on the main floor. I asked him if I was the reason it didn’t work out with Michonne and he said no and that he’d fall apart if I moved out so’s I stayed. 

Other than walkers, there weren’t no real enemies at the moment and we ain’t had that in a long damn time. Hardly knew what to do with myself. I spent a lot of time on the porch skinning possums and squirrels. Spent some time at Aaron’s garage working on the bike and some of the cars. 

And a course I spent time with Rick. He needed to talk a lot, so’s I was always there for him. He liked talking and I liked listening and so’s it worked out perfect. 

We was sitting on the front porch one day. You wouldn’t even be able to tell a walker was a thing. Sun was out. People walking by with babies in strollers, actual dogs going for walks with their owners. 

“It’s nice to have down time,” Rick says.

“Ain’t gonna last forever,” I say, cause I can’t help it. I’m a realist. There’s a world of walkers and worse yet living people that we don’t know nothin’ about.

Rick puts a comforting hand on my knee. “I’d love to see you relax for once, Daryl.”

“I don’t really do relaxed,” I said with a bit of a self deprecating laugh.

“I’m gonna help you relax,” Rick said with sudden determination. He stood and reached for my hand. 

“Whatcha gonna do? Hit me over the head with a fryin’ pan so’s I can get a decent rest?”

Rick laughed. He thinks I’m funny. I don’t know why. Most of what I say I mean.

I let him take my hand and he drags me into the empty house and up to his room. “You need a massage,” Rick says like a doctor making a firm diagnosis.

I lift a brow at that. 

“Lay on your belly and take off your…”

“You and I both know I ain’t takin off this shirt,” I say.

Rick sits on the bed looking like a kicked puppy. “Daryl, I seen your back a million times when we had to shower in creeks and ponds. Those marks are from another life and they don’t belong to you any more. Don’t let them own you, Daryl. Let yourself be free from them.”

Well, he had a damn point. So I sulked and ripped off the shirt and tossed it in the corner of the room. 

“Pants too. You can leave your underwear on if you want. But for a massage to feel good I need to be able to really touch you.”

I roll my eyes at Rick. “You know damn well I ain’t got no drawers on.”

Rick smiled in this sneaky kinda way like he _did_ know and he was kinda happy about it. 

“I’m not gonna do anything but massage your tense muscles. I promise, you’ll feel amazing after. 

“Fine,” I groused and I dropped my pants and laid down on my stomach. 

“Okay...just relax, let your eyes close, let your muscles go loose. No talking.”

I did what he said, cause shit...I usually did.

I felt his warm hands press firm against my shoulder blades and he was right.. It was amazing. Ain’t much used to any kind of touching and sure as shit don’t have much experience with purposeful naked hands on naked back touching.

He pressed hard and worked at knots in my shoulders that I thought was just a part a me now. I’m ashamed to say I was drooling into the bedspread. He moved his hands down my back to my sides and continued to press and push and squeeze and just hit all the right spots in all the right ways.

To my surprise he massaged my damn ass and I thought about telling him to stop but it did feel good so I went with it. As the minutes passed he spent time on each arm and bicep, on my legs and feet and on my neck which felt like heaven. 

“Told ya you needed to relax,” Rick finally said an hour or so later. I rolled over, barely realizing that my cock was showing, drool forming a string from my lip to the comforter.

“I don’t think I can move.”

“Best thing after a massage is a big glass of water and a nap. I’ll get that water,” he said and he disappeared.

So Rick now seen my junk and touched my body from head to toe. He didn’t seem repulsed, in fact it was his damn idea. I wondered what the odds were that I’d be able to take this nap with him or if I’d have to be alone.

When he came back he helped me sit up and helped me sip my water like I was too incompetent to hold the cup myself. I let him. Usually always let Rick do anything.

He laid down on the bed. “Nap time. You’ll feel like a million bucks in the morning.”

“Why you doin all this?” I asked.

“You’re important to me,” he simply answered. And I couldn’t help but wonder if there wasn’t a little more to it.

The next day I stopped by Aaron’s and he opened the garage door for me but I told him I actually needed to talk. He was NOT expecting that, but he brought me to the living room and gave me some tea. Like a Dixon drinks tea or something. But I guess it was the thought that counts.

“So what’s up,” he asks genuinely concerned.

“Rick got me naked last night and massaged me for like an hour and laid with me while I took a nap,” I blurt out. 

Aaron’s eyes grew twice their original size. 

“So like… do you massage people like that if you don’t want more? Like… does he want...like more a’ me? And if so why? Cause I’m not only filthy 95% of the time… but like also… I’m a dude. Not like Lori or Jesse or Michonne…

“Okay, hold on there, Daryl. I think that might have been the most words you’ve ever said to me at once.”

I waited for him to absorb all my recent revelations.

“So...you’re asking if there’s something more than just a massage offer?”

“Yeah,” I say thinking it’s an easy damn question for fuck’s sake.

“You got eyes, right, Daryl?” Aaron asks.

What the fuck kind of question is that?

“Yea, Aaron. I got two. What’s the point.”

“He looks at you like he can barely breathe without you in his sight. He looks for you when you aren’t nearby. He’s all but begged you to stay in his house instead of moving to one of your own. Maybe this massage was a way to make _you_ think about him in a more-than-a-friend-kinda way.”

‘Hmm,” I said. I can’t think of any other reason why he’d want his hands all over my body. Maybe Aaron was right.

I left Aaron’s house kinda annoyed. I don’t like dancin’ around shit. Get to the point, that’s what I say. So’s I decide I’m just gonna ask Rick about this whole thing. Used to be a private, frightened kinda guy, but now with death lurkin’ round every corner I don’t like wasting time.

I walk in the door and call for Rick. He’s the only one home, just wearing sweats low on those hips of his and holding a cup of coffee. 

“Where’s the kids?”

“Out playing.”

“Why’d you massage me last night?” I asked straight out.

“You didn’t like it?” Rick asked with a pout.

“Ain’t saying that,” Daryl said. “Wondering why.”

“Care about you,” Rick said, his eyes looking all genuine and honest and truth.

“Life’s short, Rick. And I ain’t got time to fuck around,” I say. I ain’t my normal self no more. Much bolder than I used to be.

Rick put his coffee down and stood there almost daring me to kiss him.

“I ain’t like Lori. Or Jesse. Or fucking Michonne.”

“I like you because you're Daryl,” Rick says, his voice bedroom soft and his eyes melty-like with sincerity. 

“If I walk over there and kiss you and you push me away, I’mma put an arrow so far up your ass you’ll taste it,” I threatened.

“No need to bring the arrow,” Rick said as he walked closer to me, arms out like he wasn’t gonna hug me less I hugged him first. I got close enough to lean in for a gentle kiss and Rick reciprocated. “Been waiting for this,” Rick said.

“Then you’re a dumbass,” Daryl said. “Cause i wanted you since Atlanta.”

**Author's Note:**

> Just been too damn long since I posted. Got so many half started fics I haven't started posting yet and I need to get some of them done!


End file.
